The 3GPP LTE (Third Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution) communication standard is currently in the process of development for the purpose of bringing new network architecture and new applications and services to users along with improved spectral efficiency and higher data speeds. As part of the evolution of the 3GPP LTE systems, proposals have been made for “femtocells,” that is, smaller coverage areas and/or associated short-range base stations that may be deployed in a home or in certain public places to provide cellular coverage in such smaller areas or to provide individual use by, and charging to, users when they are accessing such cells. Such small coverage area cells may be referred to as a femtocell or a Closed Subscriber, or User, Group (a CSG or CUG) cell and may be provided wireless service by a wireless transceiver such as a Home Node B (HNB) or a Home eNode B (HeNB).
Under the 3GPP LTE standards, it is possible to limit a time period that a user's equipment (UE) is allowed to camp on such a cell, that is, to limit a user's granted access rights. This time period can be configurable by an owner/operator of a HNB/HeNB or a network operator operating the cell and can range from a fraction of an hour, for example, tenths of an hour, to several days. If no value is configured into the HNB/HeNB, then the standards provide for a user to have unlimited access to the cell.
When the time period for which a UE is granted access rights expires, the UE is released from connected mode and is no longer able to obtain services from the cell, except for emergency calls. However, as the standards currently exist, the user of the UE does not know the duration of the access period and, further, is not able to negotiate an extension of the access period.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for notifying a user of a duration of a grant of access to a CSG cell and to permit the user to negotiate an extension of the access grant.
One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common and well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.